8th Annual Southeast Showdown - A Laid-Back, Old-School Show in a New Location

More like a family reunion than a car and truck show, the latest Southeast Showdown brought together more than 400 vehicles and two thousand spectators, with everyone intent on seeing some cool new trucks and reconnecting with old friends. Event Coordinator Jon Fulmer has been active in the car and truck scene for most of his life, with numerous feature articles to his credit. The decision to become a show promoter was a good one and his SESD has become a fan favorite. Vehicle owners arrived to find a new venue this year, moving from the Anderson County Fairgrounds to the Anderson Motor Speedway, just a little further out in the country and remote enough so that late-night burnouts would not disturb the neighbors.

2/24A little further out in the country, the Anderson Motor Speedway was just remote enough to ensure a good time without rousing the neighbors.

This year, Mother Nature stepped in with temperatures soaring during the event, blanketing the East Coast with triple digit temperatures. A scorching 104 degrees on Saturday and Sunday, most drivers were content to find some shade and minimize most daytime activities. In the cool of the evening, however, the late-night after parties were the perfect answer, with the local (event sponsor) Hooters quickly becoming the favorite hangout.

While temps may have been off the charts, the heat did not diminish the number of cool classic rides at the show, with a collection that ran the gamut from highly polished and ‘faux-tina’, to downright rusty and dusty. You’ll be seeing a few of the shiny ones in upcoming issues like Sam Turner’s elegant 1951 Chevy five-five window, combining vintage lines with modern upgrades. Running a Mustang II/triangulated four-link air suspension, a 5.3L Chevy V-8 under the hood, and a bone-colored leather interior that contrasted with the Indigo Blue exterior, the Chevy impressed the judges and won the Best Classic trophy. Doubling his fun, Jason Shook from Baldwin, Georgia, arrived with not one but a pair of classics beginning with his bright green ’55 Ford equipped with a complete 2002 Ranger chassis and engine. His 1972 red Cheyenne was equally cool, boasting double A-Arms and a four-link for modern handling along with a new 350 V-8 crate motor for easy cruising on the Interstates. The 20-inch rims were just the right touch. The father and son team of Kevin Harrell and 16 year-old Richard Harrell drove their 1974 F-100 project vehicle to the event. The dropped I-beams and Ride Tech air suspension upgraded the handling of their vintage Ford while the 20-inch wheels filled the wheelwells. Under the hood, the 5.0L V-8 crate motor from Jasper Engines ensured quick acceleration. Look for more on these soon. Old favorite rides also arrived at the Showdown like John Pruitt and his stretched ’48 Chevy, a CCT feature back in February, 2009. They didn’t make extended cabs back then but John says, “I’m tall, and I needed the room!” Besides the 20-inch-longer cab and custom interior, the ’bagged truck featured frenched headlights borrowed from a ’56 Olds and a ’94 Chevy Fleetside bed.

3/24Thanks to lots of modern suspension work, this 1938 Ford pickup truck is riding considerably lower than it did when it left the factory, serving as the perfect attention-getter for the business.

The Sunday afternoon awards ceremony presented custom Plexiglas trophies to the top 100 vehicles, along with 30 Best Of specialty awards. Laser-cut steel trophies were awarded to the top three clubs at the event with the Best Quality Club going to Aftermath, the Best Attitude Club presented to No Regrets and Club Participation to Twisted Minis. The 2012 event is scheduled for July 21 and 22, 2012 at the Speedway. Check out website, www.southeastshowdown.com for the latest info.

Lots of vendors helped to make the event a success like Presenting Sponsor Auto Extremes as well as PRW, Hooters, Rusty Nuts Originals, TC Rodz, Tint Plus, Mautofied.com, and Sam’s Garage. A talented and dedicated group of individuals also contributed to the smooth running event like Lucas, Melissa, Jonathan, Cagney, Logan, Allison, Clell and the guys from Connecticut who flew in to help with the show. CCT